


Emotions

by MidnightFox73



Series: Side Effects [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Tags May Be Added, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Underswap, Inspired by Marissa Meyer's Renegades, Underswap Papyrus, Underswap Sans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 03:50:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15833172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightFox73/pseuds/MidnightFox73
Summary: Blue was born with the power of Empathy. He was able to sense and feel the emotions of those around him. A power that really only affected him, until it didn't. It was a simple power, until it wasn't.





	Emotions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Odderancy (dreamcatchers_and_chocolate)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamcatchers_and_chocolate/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Poisons to Blind You, Poisons to Open Your Eyes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14821526) by [Odderancy (dreamcatchers_and_chocolate)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamcatchers_and_chocolate/pseuds/Odderancy). 



> Just a short warning that I haven't written anything in about four years. I also wrote this between 10pm-3am. So if you spot any grammar or spelling mistakes I'm sorry.
> 
> I HIGHLY recommend checking out Odderancy (dreamcatchers_and_chocolate)'s works as they're amazing and inspired me to start writing again.
> 
> So while reading Poisons to Blind You, Poisons to Open Your Eyes, I began wondering if there was more to Blue's empathy than first appeared. This is my take on that. Hope you enjoy.

Blue smiled as he placed two plates stacked with pancakes on the table. He was improving they were only slightly burnt though mostly around the edges but that would be fine, his brother tended to drown his in honey anyway.

Grabbing the chair he had been using all morning to reach the overhead cupboards he grabbed the small golden bottle before jumping down and placing it on the table near his brother’s plate. With a satisfied sigh he pulled the chair back to the table and sat down to wait, his brother should be joining him any minute now.

If he hadn’t been watching the hallway he would have never noticed his brother’s arrival. Stretch smiled upon seeing him but there was also an annoyed look in his eyes. Blue knew it wasn’t directed at him, it was aimed at their father who had once again left the house early foregoing any notions of making them breakfast and worse left with no goodbyes.

Blue didn’t like his brother feeling upset; it was why he had decided to make breakfast, something he found himself doing a lot recently. He didn’t mind, it just meant another opportunity to improve his cooking skills. He hasn’t even set the kitchen on fire in weeks, definitely improving.

“So when do you want to leave for school?” Blue asked intending on striking up a conversation that didn’t revolve around their absent father or their abilities. Those conversations never ended well as they often ended with either one or both of them upset or angry.

“Probably shouldn’t leave it too late.” Stretch replied with an easy smile, he was trying his hardest even Blue didn’t need his ability to see that. “It’s a long walk.”

Blue nodded in agreement as he began eating his breakfast.

Stretch hated the mornings where they woke to find their father had once again left them to fend for themselves. It left him feeling annoyed and he knew Blue would notice it and become annoyed or upset as well. He had to admit though; it was becoming easier to stop caring as to whether or not their father was home. It made him wonder though if Blue could still sense the negativity of his thoughts towards their old man. Stretch refused to let Blue see his negative emotions, intent on hiding them behind a happy facade in hopes that Blue would stay happy.

It wasn’t working as well as it used to.

Blue could now tell when his brother was being genuinely happy and when he was faking it. There were more emotions hidden under the surface but at this moment he could only see those presented to him and in turn know if they were real or false. Just by looking at Stretch it was hard to tell, the slight smile on his face betrayed nothing, he was always smiling when in his presence. Stretch’s eyes found the honey bottle and Blue felt it, a sharp surge of joy it only increased slightly as nearly half the contents ended up on the plate. He should have given his brother a bowl, less mess that way.

They ate in relative silence before grabbing their bags for school; Blue would most likely do the dishes when they got home. Stretch made a mental note to help his brother with the housework before they left.

\--

The weight was crushing, and loud, and just so there. Blue had to mentally remind himself once again to breathe. It was all in his head. While he wasn’t physically being crushed the school hallway was indeed rather crowded as his classmates chatted in their groups and rummaged through their lockers. Second period had just ended and there was a short break before third period began. Hence the crowded hallways.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Blue smiled up at his brother, he could feel his concern, Stretch was always concerned when they were in large crowds. His gift was getting stronger, he used to only be able to feel a handful of people’s emotions, and even then they were always the basic ones, the ones on the surface. Now though he could sense everyone within several feet of him it was easy to become overwhelmed.

Normally it wasn’t too bad; for the most part everyone was either happy or bored. Recently however a rumour had spread through the student-body, apparently there was a super at the school who had the ability to possess others. The fear and hatred that currently hung over the school was crushing him. With so much negativity it was almost physically painful to even step on school grounds.

Blue tried to latch onto the happy emotions that dotted the atmosphere, like tiny islands, safe havens against a dark turmoil ocean. He couldn’t understand why people had to be so judgemental. There had never been any reports or rumours of anyone being possessed; well until now. Why were people so quick to hate?

He hadn’t realised how lost in thought he was until he rounded the corner and walked into someone. A sharp and intense notion of fear hit him like a punch to the face and he stumbled back with a surprised cry. Physical contact made it stronger.

Stretch’s emotions shifted from concerned to anger in a blink, he was no doubt lecturing the other person. Normally Blue would have intervened stating that he himself should have been more careful, which he should have but he was too focused on trying to remember how to breathe. He could hear whispers the other students feel their curiosity. They’d drawn a crowd.

Blue was certain the entire school knew he had powers, he wasn’t ashamed of them but they did make things difficult and it did make making new friends challenging.

Just as the shock was wearing away there was a spark of hatred from the gathered crowd.

“That’s the freak that can possess people!”

It was like the entire school was underwater and on fire at the same time. Fear and hatred spread through everyone gathered. Blue clutched his head feeling nauseous. There was more shouting.

Suddenly the person he’d walked into, the one consumed by fear, ran off, Blue felt the fear change to something much darker. Despair. Guilt latched onto him as the person ran away beyond his range to sense him, no doubt away from the school. He hadn’t gotten the chance to apologise to them for walking into them.

The heaviness lifted from the hallway with the person no longer there; instead everyone seemed relieved and happy. A feeling of pride stood out from the crowd, shining like a star. Blue hated it. Hated that they took pride in causing someone else such misery.

Stretch was in his field of vision his hand on his shoulder radiating nothing but care for him. Blue smiled weakly but he still felt sick. Turning around he headed out of school as well, he would make it up tomorrow and suffer the lectures for his attendance as well, but right now he wanted nothing more than to be away from it all.

 

That student never did return to school, and yet no matter who he asked, no one else seemed to care. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.

\--

Blue flinched as the shouting grew louder and the annoyance between the two arguing became anger. He was trying to cook dinner; he was trying to ignore the intense anger and hatred that burned in the other room.

Their father was home, and while Stretch had been able to keep his annoyance at bay all evening something had caused it to snap and turn into ugly hatred instead. Their father usually so calm and collected, had also snapped anger poured out of him in waves.

His ability was stronger now, he could sense emotions more clearly now, they were often accompanied by snippets of information, usually a phrase or an image, the source of that emotion at that particular moment. He was also capable of reading the underlying emotions, the ones people suppressed and tried to hide.

“We’re sixteen-years-old! We don’t need you anymore!” Stretch screamed. “We haven’t needed you in years!” Blue could feel the burning hatred right at the front. It made him flinch even though it wasn’t directed at him. Beneath it however he could feel pain, a sense of loss and a sense of guilt. Deeper yet he could sense his brother’s love for their father just as he could sense it in their father for them.

Blue wanted to hit the pair of them over the head and demand they confess how much they actually did care, but it never worked. Whenever he did bring it up the emotion was buried deeper again to a point where he could barely feel it. Stars, why did his family have to be so stubborn.

There was a slam of a door, the front door. Blue felt his heart plummet as he noticed his father’s emotional aura growing dimmer. He had left. A moment later Stretch entered the kitchen the anger was gone, replaced by guilt.

“I’m sorry bro.” He sighed before collapsing into a chair head falling into his hands. “I’ve really messed things up.” more crushing guilt.

“You... you didn’t do anything wrong.” Blue replied taking his gaze away from the food he was making after putting it on a low heat, least he burn the house down while trying to console his brother. True he hadn’t been paying attention to the entire conversation and was now wishing he had but there was no doubt that Stretch wasn’t to blame. “He made the choice to leave.”

“He only left ‘cuz I made him.”

“You know we can’t make him do anything.” Blue smiled only to grimace as Stretch remained in his defeated position. Sighing he decided to try a different tactic, “It’s not like he really lives here anyways.” He tried to ignore the pain in his chest as he said the words aloud. “I mean... stars... we’re even paying the rent!”

Stretch laughed but it lacked humour. “Are ya really not mad about this?”

Blue thought for a moment and Stretch lifted his head to study him. “I-I guess I’m not.” He surprised even himself with that comment, but he found it was true, he wasn’t mad, heck he wasn’t even sad really, it was just another fact. Their father had left, like he always did, if he would return was anyone’s guess as it always was. Nothing was different.

Stretch studied him for a long moment and Blue noted that once again he couldn’t sense his brother’s emotions. It was scary how good his brother was at hiding them from him now. He couldn’t sense anything unless his brother wanted him to or unless he lost control in which case they were usually very overwhelming.

“So what’s for dinner?” Stretch asked his gaze turning to the stove where meat was steadily burning in a pan.

“Tacos.” Blue smiled brightly as he turned back to save the meat from becoming cremated.

Dinner that night was a quite affair, both lost to their thoughts.

\---

Blue had been very surprised to learn that he could fly, he had been very good at jumping high and impressed many by showing how much control he had even when he fell. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise and yet it did.

It had been during gym class, their coach as happy as ever to make his students suffer in his class demanded that they climb the ropes hung about the room. The equipment was old and everyone knew that it needed replaced but as is always the funds needed were not available. Finally wear and tear caught up to it and the mechanism holding the rope to the ceiling broke dropping it and the student climbing it.

Blue had reacted on instinct. He had felt their shock and panic as it broke, their profound fear as gravity took hold and they began to fall back towards the ground. They had gotten quite high as well, impressive but also unlucky as falling from that height even with the mats would mean breaking something. So he had jumped to catch them all with the intention of breaking their fall, only they no longer falling.

Reality caught up a few moments later, just long enough for Blue to be stunned and amazed at having another power and engulfed in feelings of awe and admire and surprise. He was a hero. He liked it.

As if to say this was going on too long gravity suddenly began working again and the pair landed on the mat with a thud. Fortunately nothing was broken.

Word had spread throughout the school like wildfire, and Blue found he liked the new attention he was getting. There was no more pitying or scornful glances from people because he could sense their emotions now they were treating him like a hero, and they found immense fascination in the fact that he had two powers. A prodigy amongst prodigies.

Stretch had congratulated him when he found out, proudly stating how cool he was, and quite loudly so that all of those in the area could hear him. Blue had just laughed and smiled.

He worked hard at learning and controlling his new ability. It was fairly difficult to master despite how he could sense emotion as easily as breathing. Flying was difficult; he was too used to the idea of jumping and gravity catching him to bring him back down. He had to put a lot of mental effort into flying even then it wasn’t very graceful, but that just made it more fun. He was more than determined to master it.

\--

Blue groaned as he left the store only mildly thankful that he wasn’t the one needing to lock up for the night. He couldn’t help but feel annoyed at the hours wasted today; he was trying to study so that he could get his dream job and be a superhero. A job he’s wanted ever since he saved his classmate from serious injury.

Apparently his boss had had other ideas and asked him to cover a shift at work which ate up his valuable study time. Still by the time he got home it should be possible to squeeze in an hour or two of studying between making dinner and going to bed. It really was getting late and the sooner he went to bed the sooner he could wake up tomorrow and resume studying.

Burning anger, crippling fear and repulsiveness of cruel smug satisfaction, Blue stumbled to a stop and turned to look the people responsible. Two what seemed to be young teens were harassing another youth. The attackers kept their hoods up to keep their faces covered while their victim had curled into a tight ball.

Blue felt a rush of anger, his own anger. How dare they. Moving swiftly across the street he intended on putting a stop to it. They didn’t see him approach or if they did they paid him no interest. It made him angrier borderline furious.

A scream erupted from their victim as they were kicked their fear breaking into despair. For a moment all Blue could see was the school hallway all he could feel was the overbearing hatred and that sharp dark hole of despair. Never again.

Another kick another scream and Blue was dragged back to the present where all he could see was red. It burned, the anger within him burned completely consuming him as it seemed to try and physically escape him.

“Leave them alone!” Blue yelled closing the distance, pulling and pushing the attackers away from the frightened person.

The attackers shock only lasted for a moment, but their hatred had returned and Blue flinched as it was directed at him but he refused to back down, he was just as angry.

Of the two the one on the right, the slightly taller one, lashed out. The hit landed and Blue was sent to the floor with a curse. Physical contact made the emotions stronger, that one touch alone felt as though it had burned an imprint of their first onto his face. A punch was nothing, but the intent hurt, the emotion hurt.

He wanted it all to stop. Groaning he stood again. Getting between the two and their victim; again.

Thankful for his training Blue was able to take a few more hits from the pair before a hard blow to the head had him back on the ground.

Blue felt his own anger break, why couldn’t they see that what they were doing was wrong? Why were they hurting innocent people for... for what fun?

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.

Something had to be done.

Without the anger burning through his veins he felt drained, he didn’t like being angry it took too much energy. Still he wasn’t done yet. Grimacing he rose once more to his feet and the pair wasted no time in returning their attacks on him, at least it wasn’t the other person.

A sharp flash in the street lights informed Blue that one of them had a weapon. Not a moment later before he felt the cold bite of metal across his chest. Blue clutched at his chest soul hammering as a new feeling enveloped him, despair.

Pure cold, dark and seemingly eternal despair.

There was an anguished cry and Blue looked up to see his attacker with the knife pulled it into their own chest. The body didn’t even have a chance to settle on the floor before the other attacker had possession of the knife and just like their comrade plunged it into their own chest. Blue had no idea what was happening and it only made his own despair over the whole situation worse.

Finally the victim moved from the ground, bloodied and bruised before taking the knife from the second attackers dying body. Pure abject horror froze him to his fallen position as the person thrust the knife into their own chest. Their eyes locked for a moment and Blue could barely sense their emotions though the haze of his own.

Despair, shock, sorrow, guilt, anger and fear. Their fear he noticed was about him. They feared him.

His own despair was replaced with shock and confusion. It was in that moment that the despair that they had been feeling was not completely their own. It had been his. He had overwhelmed them.

Blue wasn’t sure how long he had remained their staring at the corpses. He only vaguely noticed his phone ringing. He answered it automatically.

“Blue where are you?” Stretch sounded panicked. “You’ve never been home this late!” When he didn’t reply he could he desperation in his brothers voice. “Blue! Blue where are you?” A pause as a door slammed. “Are you alright?”

Something in him broke.

“They’re dead.” It couldn’t have been more than a whisper. “It’s... it’s all my fault.” Whatever his brother may have said next was drowned out by his own broken cries.

Blue never could remember how his brother found him or what exactly happened after that. He could however remember the days following. His emotions were going haywire. Worse however was that whatever he felt his brother felt and he hated every second of it.

Stretch was patient however, despite the sudden and random emotions, despite the fact that they overwhelmed him to a point he could barely think. He pushed through; he kept his own emotions locked up tight only allowing his love for his brother to shine through, in a desperate attempt to reach him in this fragile state.

It had been a sharp shock learning that his brother’s power of empathy actually stemmed from his ability to read and control emotions; emotional manipulation as some would call it.

Despite the fact that knowing his own emotions could be changed against his will or even without his knowledge partly scared him, he had always been good at hiding his emotions but that didn’t mean he didn’t have them. A part of him thought to be worried that his brother’s gift was still growing, getting stronger with each passing day.

A logical part of him reminded himself that his brother would never harm him and that he was only manipulating his emotions because he still had yet to control his own. Another part of him however swelled in pride, his brother was powerful, and when he did finally have master over his own emotions again, there would be nothing to stand in his brother’s way.

He supposed it was a good thing Blue had always expressed a desire to help people. He didn’t really want to think about the damage his brother could do if he had evil intent.

Stretch couldn’t stop the smile that came over his face even if he wanted to, not that he really minded, it meant his brother was currently happy, which meant he was currently happy. In that moment he allowed himself to feel genuinely happy as well.

Though a small part of his mind worried about how others would react to knowing that Blue could manipulate their emotions. For one they would surely question if their own emotions were real or not while in his presence, then they would question his intent. Stretch would have frowned at the thought if he could only he was still happy. It made him feel somewhat optimistic; after all who said they needed to know he could control emotions, so far he was only known to be a strong empathic. His smile became genuine again, no they wouldn’t find out. He knew that once his brother had regained control of himself there would be very little capable of breaking it.

So he continued to grin, this city was going to get the best hero it had ever seen.

Now they just needed to think of an alias for him. Knowing his brother it would need to be something with blue in it.

\--

Those with superpowers had to use them. It was an unspoken rule. Either use their powers or suffer the negative effects. Headaches, nausea, emotional instability. There are as many withdrawal symptoms as there are powers, some unique to certain powers.

Blue had found himself suffering headaches and feelings isolation. At the time he had gone three days without using his abilities at all. He had flat out refused to even notice his brother’s emotions, taking note of only what he saw in front of him, which wasn’t much his brother had an excellent poker face. By the end of the week the headaches had been severe and Stretch had noticed.

It had almost been a month when he felt himself start to break. His own emotions were starting to overwhelm him again. Only this time there was a level of insanity with it. He had snapped at his brother for making too much noise; Stretch rarely made any noise, like he was trying to impersonate a ghost. Blue had still been upset, he had seen his brother’s shock and confusion though and he had forced himself to ignore that he couldn’t feel it. Another time he had broke down crying because he had splashed water onto the floor while doing the dishes. His brother hadn’t been amused but still attempted to be sympathetic.

Blue had only started using his powers again after Stretch had demanded it of him. Well he had actually begged and pleaded because Blue was torturing himself and why was he doing that. He was doing nothing wrong by using his gifts. Blue had tried to argue back that he didn’t want to manipulate anyone especially not his brother.

Stretch had sighed deeply before grasping Blue shoulders firmly and saying, “Ya don’t have to worry about that.” He stared him in the eyes. “Ya don’t have to do it all the time like how ya normally do with sensing emotions. And ya don’t need to make it obvious.” A devilish grin spread across Stretch’s face. “Just do something small, like being positive. Make them feel happy. Brighten their day a little. No one’s gonna question it when you’re happy. Heck most of the time smiles are contagious anyways.” He laughed.

That actually didn’t sound so bad. Surely there was nothing wrong with adding a little happiness to someone’s day?

From then on Blue had been careful. He allowed himself to feel the emotions of those around him and he welcomed them like taking a deep breath of clean air. He was however very careful with his own emotions, he kept them well guarded, he would still show his emotions but he refused to let them consume him or anyone else.

He had only slipped up once. It had been during a course of celebration, he had gotten his dream job. He was a superhero. Blue had been too happy to even attempt to remain in control of his emotions, which was why everyone nearby suddenly felt as happy as he did in that moment. Fortunately it was waved off as contagious joy at seeing someone so happy. They weren’t completely wrong.

Nobody at the Headquarter seemed to notice they were being manipulated; everyone seemed to chalk it up to his bubbly personality. He never manipulated anyone for very long anyways, just enough to bring a good emotion, maybe accompanied with a memory or a phrase to the forefront of their mind, it made them smile and his own happy attitude kept them smiling.

Everything would be perfect. All he had to do was remain in control.


End file.
